Hand-mounted bowler&#39;s sighting device



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Louis 0. Frey 1 N VEN TOR. www wwf/m United States Patent O 3,l93,933 HAND-MGUNTED BGWLERS SIGHTING DES/ECE Louis (B. Frey, Mendham, NJ. (480 Woodhill Road, Wayne, Pa.) Filed (ict. l5, 1963, Ser. No. 3I6,493 7 Ciaims. (Cl. :s3- 64) This invention comprises a novel and useful handmounted bowlers sighting device and more particularly pertains to an aid for bowlers to aid them in sighting the target pin and in properly directing the bowling ball toward the target pin.

In my prior Patent No. 3,029,517 of April 17, 1962, there is disclosed a bowlers aid and sighting device specilically adapted to be mounted upon the bowlers head and providing a visual guide to enable the bowler to properly sight the target pin and to direct the bowling ball toward such pin. The present invention constitutes a device for a generally similar purpose but which is adapted to be readily mounted upon the bowlers hand and which will enable him to focus his attention simultaneously upon the target pin to be hit by the bowling ball and a selective spot upon the bowling alley which lies upon the desired proper trajectory or path of travel of the bowling ball toward such target pin.

A very important object of the invention is to provide a sighting device specifically adapted for mounting upon the bowlers hand whereby it may be readily used for either righthand or lefthand bowlers.

A further purpose of the invention is to provide a sighting device of the character above set forth which may be quickly and easily adjusted in order to alford properly correlated lines of sight between the bowler and the target pin and the bowler and a selected location on the bowling alley over which the ball must pass when properly directed to the target pin.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a sighting device in accordance with the preceding objects which may easily and readily adjusted so as to eect the desired correlation of the two lines of sight as above set forth for different bowlers.

Still another purpose of the invention is to provide a sighting device for bowlers which shall offer the minimum discomfort to the bowler and which `at the moment of addressing the ball to the pin will enable the bowler to concentrate his attention upon the selected target pin and the corresponding path of travel of the bowling ball over the alley which is necessary to strike that pin.

In spot bowling, the bowler will normally aim at a particular spot in a spaced relation to the foul line which is usually in an area of the alley which is just previous to the point at which the ball begins to curve toward the pins or pockets which the bowler desires to engage by the ball. By practicing the delivery of the ball, making each delivery substantially identical, a bowler can establish a particular spot in the alley over which the ball should pass in order to strike or engage a particular pin, pins or pocket.

It is therefore the fundamental purpose of this invention to provide a sighting device for bowlers particularly adapted for use in enabling bowlers to determine with certainty the proper path of travel for a bowling ball with any particular pin, :and which shall include a pair of adjustable indicators or sighting points which are movably mounted upon a base in such a manner that they may be adjusted individually and forwardly of the eyes of the bowler so that when one pointer is aligned with the pin to be engaged by the ball, the other pointer may be aligned with a spot on the bowling alley which lies in the proper path of travel of the ball to that pin, the pointers being Iadjustable in relation to each other so that they may be properly adjusted to indicate to the bowler the proper spot on the alley to which the ball is to be delivered.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE l is a perspective view illustrating the bowlers sighting device of this invention in proper use;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the sighting device;

FIGURE 3 is a View in vertical transverse section taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 3 3 of FIGURE 2 and with parts broken away and showing in particular the mounting of the target pin indicator or pointer of the device;

FIGURE 4 is a detail view taken upon an enlarged Scale in vertical longitudinal section substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 4-4 of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 5 is a further detail view taken in vertical section substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 5 5 of FIGURE 2 :and showing the manner in which the strap forming the securing means of the device is attached to the base of the device.

In the accompanying drawings the numeral 1) designates generally the bowlers sighting device in accordance with this invention. Shown .at l2 is a bowling alley having the usual gutter I4, a foul line 16 and indicated at 13 is the target pin which the bowler is endeavoring to strike with the bowling ball 2t). The dot and dash line 2. indicates the proper path of travel for the bowling ball which is necessary for a bowler having a particular delivery to strike the target pin 1S. Indicated at 24 are spots on the alley either real or imaginary each of which lies in the proper path of travel 22 for a ball to hit different particular target pins.

It will therefore be understood that ir" a bowler is to strike a given target pin 13, it is necessary that the ball shall follow a predetermined path of travel 22 which is particular for that pin and for the bowlers method of delivery and therefore that the ball shall pass over the proper one of the spots 24 during such travel.

Indicated by the dot and dash lines 26 and 28, respectively, are two lines of sight extending from the eye of the bowler at the moment of his addressing the ball and sighting for the target pin and which lines of sight, respectively, impinge upon the target pin 18 and upon the spot 24 of the proper path of travel 22 of the bowling ball. It is the purpose of this device to aiord the bowler an aid to facilitate his correlating and selecting the proper spot 24 in order to obtain the proper path of travel 22 in order that the ball may hit a particlar target pin 18.

The sighting ldevice of this invention, referring now especially to FIGURE 2, consists of a base including a transversely extending strip 39 having a securing means 32 attached to its opposite ends by which the device is detachably mounted upon the hand of the bowler, for the right hand or left hand, as illustrated in FIGURE l. The strip` 3i) may be of any suitable material, such as plastic, a suitable metal or the like, and preferably at its extremities has transversely extending rod-like elements 34. The securing means El?. consists of a loop or band, preferably of a resilient or elastic nature, and which may comprise a continuous endless member having looped end portions as at 36 adapted to extend across the top surface of the base strip 3G and lying against the rod 34, as shown particularly in FIGURE 5, with a pair of parallel longitudinally extending reaches 3S which extend transversely across the palm of the bowlers hand below the base. It is therefore merely necessary for the bowler to slip the palm of his hand between `the loop 32 and the base rises from amid-portion thereof. This standard includes a vertical reinforcing rib 42 upon its exterior surface. AtV

its upper end the standard is provided with a cross arm 44.

The latter is horizontal and overli-es its base strip 30. The' cross arm includes the horizontal flange 46 from Vwhich rises a vertical llaterally extending ilange 48 which merges at one end into the reinforcing rib 42. Depending from the underside of the cross arm 44 adjacent its outer endy is atransversely disposed vertically'depending ange 50.

As'will'be best apparent from FIGURE 3 the vertical upstanding flange 48V is provided with an internally threaded -bore as `at 52 Vwhile the depending vertical flange'ti in turn is provided with an internally threaded bore as at 54. A pair of-indicators, sights or mankers are mounted upon the vertical anges. Thus, one indicator consists of a vertical plate 56 having a V-shaped notch 58 in its upper edge which serves as the upper sight for the bowler'iny establishing' the 'line of sight 26 to the target 10. At its lower portion, the plate '56 islaterally elongated to provide a shoe 60 and the plate and shoe bear and` slide against the adjacent plane surfaces of the horizontal and vertical flanges 46 and 48 to permit longitudinal or lateral adjustment of the indicator 56. To facilitate such adjustment, the shoe is provided with a longitudinally extending elongated slot y62 and a fastener in the Vform ofY a screw 64 is slidably received in the slot andis engaged in the screw-threaded bore 52.. Thus, the screw serves' to adin selected lateral adjustment upon the support base.

A second indicator indicated generally by the numeral 66 is vertically adjustablymounted upon the depending ange 50. `'For this purpose, as will be seenrbest in FIG-` URE 4, the dependingindicator has a vertically elongated slot 6,8and a-fastening screw-70 is slidably engaged invthis slot and extends into the threaded Vbore 54. At

its lower end, the pointero has downwardly convergent side edges as at 72 and is also beveled as at 74 upon one' FIGURE 1 the sighting deviceiis in ,proper position Vtol 40. whichmay be integral with the base which preferably.

t justably secure and lockthe upper sight or indicator 56v i of adjustment isVV necessary between the relative'posit'ions of the two indicators Vor markers. This can be readily eiiec'ted by the device so that the same device can be readily adapted for ditterentV bowlers and is equally efrective for righthand or lefthand bowlers.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. VFurther, since numerous modilications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is 'not desired to' limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, andaccordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may beresorted to, falling within the scope of the. invention as claimed. Y Y

" What is claimed as new is as follows:

LA sighting device for'bowlers comprising a base,Y

means for securing said base upon the back of a bowlers hand, a pair of indicators mounted upon said base for relativeradjustment with respect to each other, said indica-v located in the Vline of sight from the bowler to a predeterf minedposition upon `the bowling alley uponY the proper path of travel ofthe bowling ball to said target bowling pin.

2. AThe combination lofclairn'lgwherein said base com-V prises an elongated strip, `said securing means comprising astrap extending across the palm Aof the bowlers hand andfastened to the opposite ends of said strip.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said base has anupstanding Kstandard witha cross arm at its upper end, said one indicatorY being adjustably mounted upon said cross arm for movement/laterally of said base. 4. The combination of Vclaim-3 wherein said other indicator is mounted on said cross arm for vertical movement relative to said base.

5. The combination oflcla'im 1 wherein said base has an upstandingstandard with Va cross arm at its upper end, saidV one `indicatorrbeingV adjustably mounted upon said cross arm lfor movement laterally of said base, said one Y indicator lhaving a laterally elongated slot, a rfastener enable vthe-bowler to simultaneously establish lthe line of Y sight\26` through the sight aperture 5,8 of the upper indicator A5.6'with'the target pin. When this is establish'edthe bowlers lineof sight 28 is therebyestablished yfor the proper spot 2&4 on the bowling alley which willv determine the path of travel of the bowling ball'necessary to hit that selected target pin.` YInasmuch as the delivery of bowlers 'differs considerably, it is obvious that a considerable range in said slot.

Y y.6. The combination of claim lwherein said'base has anA upstandingV standard with ra cross arm at its upper end, said one indicator being'adjustably'mounted upon said cross arm for movement laterally of said base,vsaid cross arm having a horizontal ange overlying said base and a vertical laterallyextending u'pstanding flange upon said horizontal `iiange, said one indicator including a YfootV No references cited. ISAAC LISANN, prima@ Examinar.

threadedlyengaged in said cross armandslidably receivedV 

1. A SIGHTING DEVICE FOR BOWLERS COMPRISING A BASE, MEANS FOR SECURING SAID BASE UPON THE BACK OF A BOWLER''S HAND, A PAIR OF INDICATORS MOUNTED UPON SAID BASE FOR RELATIVE ADJUSTMENT WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER, SAID INDICATORS BEING SO POSITIONED RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER THAT WHEN ONE INDICATOR IS LOCATED IN THE LINE OF SIGHT FROM THE BOWL- 